Greece leads in TI Corruption Index 2012 among EU countries

Corrupt officials, venal politicians: Transparency International has been studied in more than 170 countries, the corruption in the public sector. Alarming is the situation in Greece, as the debt-ridden country leads in corruption among European Union countries. Greece occupies place 94 and share the same score (36 points) with Benin, Colombia, Djibouti, India, Moldova, Mongolia and Senegal.

At least corrupted countries are Denmark (1st place) and Finland (2nd place), each with 90 points, while Germany climbed one place to 13th place (79 points) however, Luxembourg (80) and give Iceland (82) a close second.

“Corruption translates into human suffering, with poor families being extorted for bribes to see doctors or to get access to clean drinking water. It leads to failure in the delivery of basic services like education or healthcare. It derails the building of essential infrastructure, as corrupt leaders skim funds.

Corruption amounts to a dirty tax, and the poor and most vulnerable are its primary victims.”

The countries of the EU, and especially the euro area, cut in the ranking of venality generally very well, most end up in the front third of the Transparency list. A dramatic exception, however, the situation in Greece. Compared to 2011 slid from the crisis state by a whopping 14 places. In the current ranking, it is only sufficient to place 94. Behind countries like Jamaica, China and Rwanda.

“The CPI generally defines corruption as “the misuse of public power for private benefit.”

As the only state of the EU and Western Europe Greece lands also only in the rear half of the list. Compared to next-best country from this group, Bulgaria (41 points), the Greeks are still five points back.

“Governments need to integrate anti-corruption actions into all aspects of decision-making. They must prioritise better rules on lobbying and political financing, make public spending and contracting more transparent, and make public bodies more accountable.”

In Transparency International’s 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index, Denmark, Finland and New Zealand tied for first place out of 176 countries – meaning they were perceived to have the lowest levels of state sector corruption. Sweden was fourth with Singapore ranked as fifth.

Disputed Method

“The CTI-Index focuses almost exclusively on bribery and overlooks other corrupt practices, including tax evasion and illegal capital flight.” (alliancesud.ch)

Germany came in at 13th, one notch better than 2011 and Japan remained at 17. The United States ranked 19th in 2012, up from 24th out of 183 countries in 2011. China ranked 80th after 75th in 2011.

The 2012 index ranks 176 countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. The index assigns scores of between one and 100, 1 being highly corrupt and 100 clean.

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One comment

As long as human exists, corruption will continue to exist. The point worth discussing/debating is how to minimize it. If you were the president/prime minister of a country, what can you do to minimize it (reduce it to an acceptable level the society can tolerate)?

Too many people too often talk about corruption, but none ever open mounth to provide an antidote for it?